St Ives manager Ricky Marhieneke said his side’s close-season business is proof that they are a club “on the rise”.

The Saints start their second season in the Evo-Stik League Southern, Premier Division, after finishing 15th last term.

And Marheineke said he is excited by the prospect of new signings such as former St Neots player Lewis Hilliard, who turned out for National League North side Boston United last season, and Brett Longden, from Chesham, as well as prolific striker James Hall, from Kettering, playing at the ProEdge.

He said: “We’re a club on the rise, I think.

“The last three seasons we have got better. The first season we finished ninth, then we went up through the play-offs and then finished 15th last season, so we’re improving year on year and I think the players who have signed can see that.

“It’s down to me to sell my beliefs and for the boys to buy into them.

“We lost a couple more than we expected and had to bring in a couple more. We’ve kept the core together – for a large part of the season they showed they were competitive.

“Lewis has been playing National League North football and is an outstanding signing, while Brett has been playing for teams in and around the play-off and ones that have reached the FA Cup first round. They’re both really exciting players for our level.”

Marheineke also said that he hopes that James Hall can lay roots at the Westwood Road this season.

Although not remaining at clubs for particularly long, he has been a consistent goal scorer for the clubs he has played for a Marheineke hopes he can offer a different option to Dubi Ogbanna and Danny Kelly and fill the space left by the injured Josh Dawkin.

Marheineke said: “We didn’t score goals last year. We went on a really good from November to January we were playing Dubi and Danny upfront but once they got injured we struggled.

“And with Josh out we needed another strike. I had James in my first season and he went on to score 13 in 18 for City, did well at St Neots before scoring 23 in all competitions for Kettering meaning he’s scored nearly 40 goals in 18 months at our level.

“He just needs to settle somewhere he can enjoy his football hopefully he’ll find form and stability with us going forward.

“He fits in with how we play and drops behind defenders while working very hard.”